Here we have the first
volume in a survey of Czech film music.
It takes us from 1930 to 1945, from
the first Czech soundies to the end
of the War. Enthusiasts will like to
note that four more discs were planned
to complete the series.

Some tremendously famous
Czech stars fill the ranks of these
twenty tracks – Vlasta Burian is here,
that well-known inter-war comedian,
as well as the more problematic figure
of Lida Baarová who is heard
on a couple of items. One dates from
1934, the other from 1940 – by which
time her entanglement with Goebbels
had brought her lasting notoriety.

The tunes broadly fall
into the dance, light comedic and military
spheres. Over the last a benevolent
air of Hapsburg utility reigns supreme.
Tight little brassy quicksteps and the
memory of imperial uniforms and braid
from the not-far-gone days of the Dual
Monarchy remained. Despite independence
the Eagle still flew, at least on screen.

The dances are mainly
foxtrots – Burian’s first number [track
2] is a canny example of the genre.
Track nine is another one, this time
sung by Baarová, whose vocal
charms (like her morals) have always
eluded me. There’s also the lilting,
broadly Austro-Hungarian charm of the
brass and accordion soundtrack to the
Settler’s Club’s song [track 4 – I’ll
spare you the Czech titles of all of
these]. Of course other cross currents
were pervasive, amongst which was the
dance band. It’s pretty clear that Jack
Hylton was a strong influence and there
was also some coy Latin Americana
as well – try track six where we can
also the soubrettish charms of Jirina
Salačová.

Track 8, Girl in Blue,
in its English title, features a straight
dance band arrangement with some wholesome,
fine saxophones to the fore. The tune
itself sounds like a first cousin of
That’s My Home. On home soil
of course is track eleven. Poslušne
hlásím (‘Beg to Report,
Sir’ – or ‘Humbly Report, Sir’ – you
take your pick) is the repeated entreaty
of The Good Soldier Švejk, here interpreted
by the volatile, gruff characterful
Franta Hurych. And this does broaden
the musical and national base of the
disc favourably – albeit there are more
foxtrots, tangos and accordion-pub knockabout
songs to follow.

There are full details
of the performers, orchestras, matrix
and issue numbers – excellent – and
a brief somewhat unbalanced page of
text as well. The copies are a bit treble
starved for my own tastes but they’re
clean and very listenable. An invaluable
disc for the Czech archival cinéaste.

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